Dash Arts Podcast

In this episode recorded from our online Dash Café in May, we return to the iconic 2009 Estonian documentary Disco and Atomic War and the topic of borders, propaganda and censorship.

Audiences enjoyed excerpts from the film and conversation from speakers including Estonian TV journalist and Disco and Atomic War co-producer and co-screenwriter Kiur Aarma; Soviet-born British journalist and author Peter Pomerantsev; former ambassador of Finland to Estonia Kirsti Narinen; and political analyst and Counterpoint director Catherine Fieschi.

Playful and provocative documentary Disco and Atomic War (Winner of Best Documentary at Warsaw International Film Festival) by Jaak Kilmi recounts the Soviet Union’s repressive grip of Estonia in the 80s. Much of Soviet power derived from its ability to censor cultural life. Rock and roll was but a rumour and the only television shows on the air were dreary propaganda – until one day, a few miles across the border in Finland, a huge television antenna was built broadcasting Western signals into the heart of Tallinn, the Estonian capital.

With thanks to the Embassy of Estonia in London and the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland for their support of the live event featured in this episode. Part of Dash Arts’ EUTOPIA series, investigating what it means to be European.

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